Getting through an inpatient addiction treatment program is a huge milestone. It’s an accomplishment that can’t be understated. But this joyous occasion is often overshadowed by doubt and uncertainty.
Moving out of an addiction treatment facility where there isn’t constant oversight means that addiction must be managed more by the individual. They’re out in the real world where there’s less control over the environment and more triggers. There will be points where no one is around to stop the person from using drugs or alcohol. Just knowing that there will be access to drugs and alcohol is enough to make some people genuinely concerned about transitioning to normal life after inpatient addiction treatment.
Today, people who are struggling with a substance use disorder aren’t cut off once they complete inpatient treatment. There are outpatient addiction programs that bridge the gap between getting sober in a treatment center and staying sober at home.
A Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP) is designed to serve as a next step in recovery after inpatient treatment. At our Partial Hospitalization Program in Dallas, TX guests are given an ideal balance of supportive therapy and independence that helps make the transition into a life of sobriety easier to manage.
Keep reading to learn more about how PHP behavioral health programs help people successfully take the next step in recovery.
How a Partial Hospitalization Program Makes It Easier for Patients Stay Sober After Inpatient Treatment
The biggest advantage of enrolling in a PHP program after inpatient addiction treatment is the oversight. You aren’t left to figure things out on your own. In a PHP you have professional guidance from a medical team that’s available 24/7.
Treatment Planning
At the beginning of a PHP program the medical team will work with you to create a treatment plan. This is a blueprint for transitioning into sober living completely on your own. It’s essentially a step-by-step guide for future treatment based on your current medical needs and goals. It gives you reassurance that you’ll keep making progress and will know what lies ahead so you can be prepared.
Support System
In addiction recovery, there’s strength in numbers. The more supportive people you have around you, the easier it is to stay sober and get your life back on track. Your support system in a PHP includes a number of addiction experts. There are therapists, psychiatrists and Recovery Coaches that understand the challenges people face after inpatient treatment. They’ll provide a level of support that removes uncertainty and increases confidence moving forward. The other patients in the PHP program are another part of the support system. They are peers that are in the trenches with you overcoming the same challenges and celebrating the same wins.
Accountability Partners
Accountability is a powerful thing. Simply knowing that someone else is keeping tabs on your progress is enough to keep some people on the sober path. Because you’re at a treatment center 5-7 days a week, a PHP offers a high level of accountability. These accountability partners are also there to help when you face difficulties on the path to long-term sobriety. They can help you recognize what is posing a challenge and how you can get past it.
Difference Between Partial Hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs
PHP behavioral health programs aren’t the only treatment option after completing an inpatient addiction program. If you’ve been researching treatment options, you may be wondering about the difference between partial hospitalization and Intensive Outpatient Programs (IOPs). The programs are similar, however, there are some key differences that set them apart.
Partial Hospitalization Programs Are More Intensive
In an Intensive Outpatient Program a certain amount of participation is required, but it’s not as much as a Partial Hospitalization Program. For example, at our Partial Hospitalization Program in Dallas participants come in for therapy five days a week, six hours a day. In our Intensive Outpatient Program participants are only required to take part in three days of therapy that last three hours a day. In both programs participants will have at least one individual therapy session a week, but PHP program participants will also have one psychiatric visit a week.
More Therapy in PHP
In a PHP focus is put on the patient’s mental wellbeing and addressing the underlying psychological issues that lead to addiction. The goal is to help patients change their way of thinking and behaviors to support sober living and reduce the risk of relapse. In addition to group therapy, individual counseling and psychiatric evaluations, patients in a PHP program often receive Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and/or Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). These evidence-based therapies have been shown to help break the cycle of addiction.
More Emphasis on Skill Building in an IOP
While therapy is the focus in a PHP, an Intensive Outpatient Program puts emphasis on skill building. Patients in an IOP should be well into their sobriety. There is less concern about physical dependency on drugs since they’re past withdrawal symptoms and more concern about how the patient will cope in the real world. The goal is to help patients build skills that will help them manage stress, be more financially secure and communicate better with others. The better a person can cope on their own the less risk there is that they’ll turn to drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism.
In general, PHP behavioral health programs are the step between inpatient treatment and an Intensive Outpatient Program. Once a person completes a PHP and solidifies their sobriety they often move on to an IOP as they continue the transition.
Wondering if you or a loved one can benefit from enrolling in a Partial Hospitalization Program in Dallas, TX? The first step is becoming familiar with what PHP behavioral health programs have to offer.
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